Live from Exeter, UK – Pre-LikeMinds coverage: How to follow the conference online

Just had a quick morning meeting with James Moffat, Managing Director of Organic Development, a pretty clutch up-and-coming UK-based digital shop based in Exeter. (I am starting to realize that Exeter may very well be the UK’s version of Greenville, SC – albeit with cooler architecture: Not the obvious choice for big firms and agencies preferring, say, London, but a remarkable concentration of world class talent.) These guys already have tremendous experience and talent, but I sense BIG things brewing for them in the next few months. That’s all I can say about that.😉

If you have a few minutes, go check out the pretty nifty microsite Organic built for Like Minds. (Here’s the main page.) Beautifully done. Clean, fast, simple and effective. Where the official Like Minds site is also pretty sweet, Organic’s companion microsite does a great job of introducing the keynote speakers and what they’re about.

Since we’re talking about Like Minds companion sites, also check out this custom Twitterface gem built by Fresh ID. I had no idea that video could be embedded into Twitterface. Brilliant! (By the way, that isn’t me in the video… even though I am wearing the exact same shirt and sweater today. Uncanny.)

While we’re on the topic of video, you will be able to stream live video from the event through the LikeMinds Twitterface page. Take advantage of this feature if you couldn’t get a seat to the physical event. (I can’t believe the conference isn’t charging for this yet.)

On a side note, if you aren’t using Twitterface yet – especially if you manage a brand or community, add a little tour of the tool to your to-do list for this week. Though it can be a nice alternative to other browser-based tools for organizing feeds and keeping an eye on keywords and discussions, it really shines as a branded community hub that centers on conversations and sharing content. Genius little platform for brand-centric companies, event management firms, etc. (And if you’re a digital agency looking for a simple way to get your clients involved in Social Media without a lot of heavy lifting, this isn’t a bad place to start.) To find out more about Twitterface, click here.

A quick note: Fresh ID (the company behind Twitterface) is another digital & social web firm to watch in the coming year. The more I collaborate with them on projects, the more impressed I am with their talent, insight, work ethic and ability to execute on just about every idea I throw at them. Here’s what they do. Here’s who they are.

You can also follow the Like Minds conference via its official site: www.wearelikeminds.com , where you will find everything from the schedule and causes supported by the conference to the list of attendees and the clever “participate” page.

And of course, you can follow the conference on Twitter by setting up a search for #LikeMinds. (Not that you need to if you use the twitterface page.)

I couldn’t close this post without also giving a third digital firm a big nod of approval: UK-based Aaron + Gould. (These are the guys behind Like Minds, by the way.) Don’t let their understated website fool you: They are young, smart, full of insight, and are already working their way to the top of the Social Media management and strategy A-list in the UK. If your company needs help integrating Social Media into their organization or campaigns, these are the guys to partner with. Let them guide you into doing it right. (Agencies in the UK, these guys can help you deliver solid services to your clients and they can teach you everything you need to know.) Check out their friendly faces.

Olivier, thanks so much for your kind words about us and our product. I have a little backstory about Twitterface having video, that is the definition of “like minds.”

Scott and I had talked previously about maybe doing something to help with the video portion of the event, mixed with tweets. I had a sketch, and he had an idea of what he wanted. He described what he wanted, which was pretty much what I had already sketched. I sent him a pic of the sketch from my phone and he confirmed that’s what he was talking about. That was a fun moment!🙂